Factors affecting voter behaviors: The example of Siverek

Elections are one of the most basic requirements of democracy, which is defined as the rule of the people in the basic sense and shapes the legal, economic, social and political structure of the society in a broad sense. The most important elements of representative democracy are elections, political parties and, of course, voters. In both political science and political sociology, voter behavior is given a wide place. There are many factors that shape and affect voter behavior, which is a multidimensional issue. These factors, which are broadly classified as political, sociological and economic, affect voter behavior and preferences in various ways. In this study, a comparative analysis of the election results in the 2018 President and Deputy General Elections and 2019 Local Elections in the Siverek district of Şanlıurfa on the factors affecting the voter behavior will be made. It will be examined how the political, sociological and economic factors discussed in the voter's decision-making are observed in the Siverek electorate and how they are reflected in the elections, based on the results of these two elections. The aim of the study is to reveal the factors affecting the preferences of Siverek voters by examining the last two elections in the country. Keywords: Voter behavior, General Elections, Local Elections, Siverek.